Distribution of information to the public is increasingly occurring via digital communications using displays capable of displaying digital content. For example, rather than using light boxes, posters, and painted billboards to advertise a product, advertisements are now commonly presented using display configurations that are capable of showing digital content. As another example, instead of using mechanical flap displays to display transportation information at a train station, airport, etc., this information is now frequently disseminated through strategically placed liquid crystal display (“LCD”) or plasma monitors, organic light emitting diode (“OLED”) monitors, or displays using electronic paper (ePaper) of the kind utilized in some current e-book readers. Advertisements displayed on or within vehicles are also increasingly being presented using digital displays.
There are many reasons why information is increasingly being distributed using digital content. For example, prices for display configurations capable of showing digital content have dropped considerably over the years. Moreover, the cost, time delay, and inconvenience of distributing printed material have been steadily increasing. Furthermore, capturing and holding the attention of consumers now often requires the use of animated graphics, sound, and even three-dimensional (3D) content, and the most convenient and often the only way to achieve this is through digital content. As another example, the waste associated with the use of printed material runs counter to current trends in environmental protection that emphasize the limited use of paper products.
However, varying the digital content that is being presented on a digital display is a cumbersome and time-consuming task. For example, changing the digital content may involve bringing a mass storage device to the digital sign, plugging it in, and transferring the updated content. In addition, varying digital content may often only be performed at specific times, such as at night. To provide a specific example, when it is desired to change the digital content being displayed on an electronic billboard mounted in a bus, such as along the inside wall of the bus and above the windows and doors thereof, it would first be necessary to wait for a time when the bus reaches a service station and is expected to stay there long enough to perform the update, such as at the end of the day. Subsequently, a technician would need to connect a mass storage device to the electronic billboard, and then input commands into the electronic billboard to transfer the data. When a large amount of data is involved, this last step of data transfer may require waiting for a long period of time. As another example, when it is desired to change the advertising digital content displayed at various bus stops throughout a city, it would be necessary for a technician to travel to each bus stop and then perform the steps of data transfer.
While it could be possible to centralize such control and distribution of digital content, doing so using existing technologies, namely, dial-up access, digital subscriber line (“DSL”) technology, a cable connection, wireless Internet connections involving wireless or cellular modems, etc., and general packet radio service (“GPRS”), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (“WiMAX”), and other mobile services and protocols, would involve paid subscription services in which the subscriber must sign up and pay fees for the connection and use of these services. Moreover, the potential large amount of data involved and the number of connected devices make using such existing technologies bandwidth and cost prohibitive.
Therefore, less expensive and more efficient methods for transferring data are needed. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the various embodiments described herein have been made.